LinkedIn is one of the most popular professional networking platforms in the world. Millions of people use it every day to find jobs, connect with professionals, promote businesses, and build personal brands. However, there may come a time when you decide that LinkedIn is no longer useful for you. Maybe you are changing careers, taking a break from social media, worried about privacy, or simply want to reduce your online presence.
If you are searching for how to delete LinkedIn account, this detailed guide will help you. This blog explains how to delete your LinkedIn account step by step, covers mobile and desktop methods, explains how to delete LinkedIn account permanently, and also clarifies the difference between deleting and deactivating LinkedIn. By the end of this guide, you will know exactly what to do and what to expect.
Why People Want to Delete LinkedIn Account
Before learning how to delete my LinkedIn account, it is helpful to understand why people choose to do this. Everyone has different reasons, and all of them are valid.
Some people are no longer actively job hunting and feel LinkedIn is not useful anymore. Others may feel overwhelmed by constant notifications, messages, and connection requests. Privacy is another major reason. LinkedIn stores professional history, employment details, education, and connections, which some users may not want to keep online.
Another common reason is career change. Some people move into professions where LinkedIn is not relevant. Others prefer alternative platforms or want to maintain a smaller digital footprint. Whatever the reason, deleting a LinkedIn account is a personal decision.
How to Close and Delete Your LinkedIn Account
Closing and deleting your LinkedIn account is a straightforward process, but it’s important to understand the difference: closing usually refers to deactivating your account temporarily (LinkedIn doesn’t offer a true temporary deactivation), while deleting permanently removes your account and data. Here’s a detailed explanation:
1. Log in to LinkedIn
To close your account, first open LinkedIn on your browser or app and log in using your registered email and password. Ensure you have full access, as you cannot close the account without signing in.
2. Go to Settings & Privacy
Click on your profile picture in the top right corner, then select Settings & Privacy. This section contains all account options, including privacy controls, communication preferences, and account management features needed to close your account.
3. Access Account Management
In Account preferences, scroll to Account management. This area allows you to make major changes to your LinkedIn account, such as deactivating or deleting it permanently, and is essential for initiating the closure process.
4. Select Close Account
Click Close account to begin deletion. LinkedIn will prompt you to choose a reason for leaving. Selecting a reason helps LinkedIn improve its services but is mandatory to continue with the account closure.
5. Verify Your Identity
To confirm the closure request, LinkedIn may ask you to enter your password again. This step ensures that only the account owner can delete the account, preventing unauthorized closures or security issues.
6. Confirm Account Closure
After verification, click Next or Close account. LinkedIn will display a final confirmation message, ensuring you understand that closing the account is permanent and that all profile data will be lost.
7. Account Deletion and Data
Once confirmed, your account is scheduled for deletion. It may take a few days for LinkedIn to remove all data completely. After deletion, you lose access to connections, messages, endorsements, and your profile permanently.
Difference Between Deleting and Deactivating LinkedIn
Before proceeding with LinkedIn account deletion steps, it is very important to understand the difference between deleting and deactivating LinkedIn.
1. Deactivating (Temporarily Closing) Your LinkedIn Account
- LinkedIn does not officially use the term deactivate, they allow you to temporarily close or hibernate your account in certain situations (like switching to a premium account or during GDPR requests).
- Generally, you can’t fully deactivate LinkedIn temporarily, unlike Facebook. LinkedIn focuses on either closing (deleting) your account or making your profile less visible.
- Profile visibility: You can change your settings to make your profile invisible, stop notifications, or remove activity, which is somewhat like deactivating.
- Data retention: LinkedIn keeps your account data for a short period if you later want to restore it, but this is limited.
- Effect on connections: Your network won’t see your updates, but your profile might still appear in search results depending on LinkedIn’s policies.
In short: LinkedIn doesn’t offer a true deactivate option, you can limit visibility temporarily, but your account still exists.
2. Deleting LinkedIn (Permanent Closure)
- Visibility: Your profile, including all your content, disappears completely from LinkedIn and search engines.
- Connections and Data: All your connections, endorsements, recommendations, posts, and profile data are permanently deleted. You cannot recover them later.
- Messages: Messages you sent may remain in other users’ inboxes, but your name will appear as LinkedIn Member.
- Account Recovery: Once deleted, you cannot reactivate the account. If you want to use LinkedIn again, you must create a new account from scratch.
- Notifications and Emails: You will no longer receive LinkedIn emails or notifications because your account is gone.
- Use Case: Ideal if you want to completely leave LinkedIn, either to protect privacy, switch careers, or move away from social networking.
How to Delete My LinkedIn Account Using Mobile Browser
Deleting a LinkedIn account means permanently removing your profile, connections, messages, and any content you have shared on the platform. Once deleted, your profile will no longer be visible, and you will lose access to all your LinkedIn data. This process is irreversible, so it should be done carefully.
Steps to Delete LinkedIn Account Using Mobile Browser:
1. Open LinkedIn on Mobile Browser: Go to your preferred mobile browser (like Chrome or Safari) and visit linkedin.com. Log in to your account if you haven’t already. Avoid using the LinkedIn app because the steps differ there.
2. Access Your Account Settings: Tap your profile picture at the top right corner of the screen. From the dropdown menu, select Settings & Privacy to open your account settings page.
3. Navigate to Account Management: Scroll down in the settings until you find Account Preferences. Tap on it, then look for Account Management. This section contains options for closing your account.
4. Select Close Account: In the Account Management section, tap Close Account. LinkedIn will ask you why you want to close your account. Choose an appropriate reason from the options provided.
5. Verify Your Identity: Enter your LinkedIn account password when prompted. This step ensures that only you can delete the account.
6. Confirm Account Closure: After entering your password, tap Next and then Close Account to permanently delete your account. LinkedIn will send a confirmation email to the registered email address.
⚠️ Note: Once your account is deleted, you will lose all your connections, messages, and profile data. Consider downloading your LinkedIn data before closing the account.
How to Delete LinkedIn Account on iPhone and Android
Deleting a LinkedIn account means permanently removing your profile, connections, messages, endorsements, and all other account information from LinkedIn. Once deleted, your profile will no longer be visible, and you will lose access to any premium subscriptions or LinkedIn data associated with the account.
Steps to Delete LinkedIn Account on iPhone and Android:
1. Open LinkedIn App: Launch the LinkedIn app on your iPhone or Android and log in with the account you want to delete. Ensure your internet connection is active before proceeding.
2. Access Profile Settings: Tap your profile picture at the top left and select Settings. This opens the area where you can manage your account, privacy, and preferences.
3. Go to Account Preferences: Scroll down in Settings and tap Account preferences. This section includes options for account management, privacy settings, subscriptions, and other controls for your LinkedIn profile.
4. Select Account Management: Inside Account Preferences, tap Account management. This contains the option to close your account, manage data, or adjust settings related to account activity.
5. Choose Close Account: Tap Close account. LinkedIn will prompt you to select a reason for closing your account, such as privacy concerns, too many emails, or other reasons.
6. Confirm Identity: Enter your LinkedIn password to verify your identity. This ensures only the account owner can delete the account and prevents unauthorized access or accidental deletion.
7. Delete Account Permanently: Review LinkedIn’s warning, then tap Next or Done. Your account will be deactivated and permanently deleted after a short period, removing all connections, messages, and data.
How to Delete LinkedIn Account Permanently
Deleting a LinkedIn account permanently means removing your profile, connections, endorsements, posts, and all activity from LinkedIn. Once deleted, your data cannot be recovered, and you will lose access to LinkedIn services tied to your account.
1. Backup Your Data
Before deleting your LinkedIn account, you can download a copy of your data including connections, messages, and posts. Go to Settings & Privacy, then Data Privacy, and select Get a copy of your data to save it securely.
2. Access Account Settings
To begin deleting your account, click your profile picture at the top of LinkedIn, select Settings & Privacy, and navigate to Account Preferences. This section allows you to manage your account and start the closure process efficiently.
3. Locate Account Closure Option
Within Account Preferences, scroll to Account Management and select Close Account. This option starts the process of permanently deleting your LinkedIn account, allowing you to proceed with necessary steps while understanding the consequences of account removal.
4. Provide Reason for Leaving
LinkedIn will prompt you to provide a reason for closing your account. You can choose from the given options or write your own. Providing a reason helps LinkedIn improve its services but is required to continue with deletion.
5. Confirm Your Identity
To verify ownership, LinkedIn requires you to enter your account password before permanent deletion. This step ensures that only the rightful account owner can delete the profile, protecting your data and preventing unauthorized closures.
6. Permanent Deletion
After confirming your identity, LinkedIn will deactivate your account and begin permanent deletion. Complete removal of all data from LinkedIn servers may take a few days, and you will no longer be able to access any information.
Can You Recover a Deleted LinkedIn Account
When you delete your LinkedIn account, the platform keeps your data for a short period to allow for recovery. You have up to 14 days to reactivate your account. During this time, logging in with your previous username and password will prompt LinkedIn to restore your account, including your profile, connections, and messages.
However, after 14 days, LinkedIn permanently deletes all information associated with the account. This includes your connections, endorsements, recommendations, posts, and any other profile data. Once this period passes, account recovery is impossible, and you would need to create a new LinkedIn account. Keep in mind that even after reactivation within 14 days, some information, like group memberships or sent invitations, may not always be fully restored.
SEO and Privacy Benefits of Deleting LinkedIn Profile Completely
Deleting a LinkedIn profile means permanently removing your account and all associated personal information from LinkedIn’s platform. This action ensures that your professional details, work history, connections, and any shared content are no longer publicly accessible. It is a method to regain control over your personal data and digital footprint.
SEO Benefits
1. Reduces Your Online Footprint: LinkedIn profiles are highly indexed by search engines. If your profile appears in search results with outdated or unwanted information, deleting it removes that footprint, giving you more control over what appears when someone searches your name.
2. Prevents Duplicate Content Issues: Having multiple profiles or old LinkedIn pages can create duplicate content issues online. Deleting your old profile ensures search engines only index the profiles you actively manage, improving the relevance of your personal or professional brand in search results.
3. Improves Brand Consistency: If you are managing a personal website or a professional portfolio, removing a LinkedIn account that no longer aligns with your current brand helps search engines focus on your current, relevant content. This can boost your SEO for your official channels.
4. Removes Outdated Information: Old job titles, outdated skills, or previous endorsements can appear in search results and affect your professional image. Deleting the profile ensures these no longer show up, keeping your online representation clean and accurate.
Privacy Benefits
1. Limits Personal Data Exposure: LinkedIn stores a lot of personal information such as your work history, education, connections, and sometimes contact details. Deleting your account removes this data from their platform, reducing exposure to data scraping or misuse.
2. Reduces Targeted Ads and Tracking: LinkedIn collects data to show personalized ads and track your activity. Removing your profile stops LinkedIn from collecting ongoing activity data and targeting you with ads.
3. Prevents Identity Misuse: Old LinkedIn profiles can be copied or misused for impersonation. Deleting your account helps prevent others from creating fake profiles in your name.
4. Protects Connection Privacy: Your connections and interactions are also linked to your profile. Deleting it protects the privacy of your network from being accessed through your old account.
Final Thoughts
Learning how to delete a LinkedIn account is essential for anyone who wants greater control over their digital presence. Whether your goal is to protect your privacy, reduce social media usage, or simply no longer use LinkedIn, the process is simple and straightforward.
By following the account deletion steps outlined above, you can safely close your LinkedIn account on desktop, mobile, iPhone, or Android. Be sure to download your data and cancel any active subscriptions before deleting your account. Taking these precautions ensures a smooth and stress-free experience when permanently closing your LinkedIn account.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Yes, it is possible, but with limits. LinkedIn normally requires a password to delete an account. If the password is forgotten, you must first reset it using the registered email or phone number. Without access to recovery options, deletion is not possible.
Deleting a LinkedIn account permanently takes about 30 days to process. After requesting deletion, your profile becomes deactivated immediately, but LinkedIn retains your data for 30 days. During this period, you can reactivate your account by logging in. After 30 days, your account and data are permanently removed.
Creating a LinkedIn business page is free. It allows companies to showcase their brand, share updates, post jobs, and engage with followers. Basic analytics show page performance and growth. Optional paid features, like advertising and advanced insights, are available but not required. A free page is enough to establish an online presence.
Yes, a LinkedIn account can be deleted using the mobile app. Navigate to Settings & Privacy > Account Preferences > Account Management > Close Account. Follow the prompts to confirm. The process mirrors the desktop version, making it convenient to delete the account entirely from the app without needing a computer.
Best practices for handling file deletion requests in archiving include verifying requester identity, confirming legal or policy requirements, documenting the request, checking retention schedules, securely deleting files, updating records, and auditing the process. Ensure compliance with data protection regulations and maintain a clear trail for accountability and future reference.
